The Bowler Hat and Fedora
by JapanDreamer09
Summary: Six years ago, unexplained kidnappings and death tolls start to rise in Vale. Humans and Faunus blamed the other for these incidents. No one could be trusted. Then a bowler hat and a fedora met in a dark alley and start an unlikely quest to find the truth. This is where our story began.
1. The Bowler Hat

Welcome! My name is **JapanDreamer**!

A few things about myself: I've always love writing, and this is my first RWBY fanfic. I hope that through stories, my writing skills can improve. My schedule is unpredictable, but my motto is that I don't leave a story unfinished without notifying readers first. So regardless of the lack of updates, expect new chapter in the future.

Well, then, let's get this story started!

**Chapter 1:**

Roman Torchwick was a man that would need to be looked twice before figuring out who he was. At first glance, he could be described as a gentleman in his late twenties and with a flair for style. He wore red collared white lapel coat and a gray silk scarf wrapped around his pale neck. Always seen in his black gloved hand was a long black walking cane he named Melodic Cudel. However, hidden behind his long eyelashes and pixie smiling face was a cunning criminal with a flair of dramatics. His personal motto was that he needed to look pretty damn good when committing crimes.

And that's what he was planning for tonight.

There would've been a beautiful full moon shining from above, but the looming gray clouds overhead covered parts of the white orb, allowing only patches of moonlight onto the streets. The heavy humidity in the air gave off a reeking smell, leaving a sour taste in his mouth. Roman was almost relieved when he arrived at his destination.

Almost.

Back in the day when the underworld ruled this area (well, the underworld still did but less openly than before), Il Tavolo Bianco was a small and quiet Italian restaurant where the mafia boss and henchmen would sit in the back, smoke cigars, and drink brandy. Now, the restaurant has become one of the exclusive and hottest clubs in town. Il Tavolo Bianco became the From Dawn to Dust night club.

Neon lights replaced the dark windows, and the usual silence was shattered with loud hip hop music. The once deserted and inconspicuous door now had a long queue of people, hoping to get an opportunity to join the party with the hippest DJs, the chilliest drinks, and, many whispered, the best drugs.

And Roman Torchwick was disgusted with it all. This was the last place he would come to have a good time. In fact, what kind of moron would have fun in a place like this? Overpriced drinks, overpriced entrance fee, and overpriced everything. Nevertheless, this was the meet point, so he cut to the front of the long line.

"Yo dude! The line is like, uh, back there." Roman turned to see some snot-nose teenager trying to act all tough. He didn't even look old enough to get in the party without some sort of fake ID. Urgh, another reason why to hate clubs. Snobby and immature little kids to deal with.

"Thanks kid," Roman smiled with a sarcastic voice. "Now I know where the underage children hang out." He turned away before the teenager slowly realized that he had just been insulted. Now at the front of the door, Roman showed the large and muscular bodyguard the exclusive VIP Dust membership card. The bodyguard took a look at it and confirmed its authenticity.

"Right this way, Mr. Ruben." The bodyguard ushered Roman in as he casually slipped the counterfeit card back into his pocket. The thick doors opened and Roman was engulfed in darkness and flashing lights and loud music. How could anybody walk around this place?

"Hello, would like some company?" a hostess came up and asked, hastily putting away her lipstick case and fixing her black cocktail dress. She had shoulder-length red hair that curled and rested on her shoulder and big doe eyes that were too big for her small face. Roman gave a charming smile at the lady. She was cute. Polite even. But unfortunately, not cute enough to distract him.

"Actually, I'm only in the mood for drinks." Without a second glance, he headed over to the private bar section. Here, the atmosphere was more subdue where all the loners watched, but didn't want to join in the fun. Twirling the cane in his hand like a baton, Roman placed it next to him as he smoothly slid into the nearest stool. Compared to the others, he stood out way too much here. He ignored all of the unsavory stares, and turned his attention to the overweight bartender.

"Gin. On the rocks." Roman drummed his fingers against the polished wooden counter until the drink came. Leaving his black bowler hat on, Roman swirled the alcohol around in the glass as his dark green eyes swept across the area. The club was in full swing and packed with customers. Many young hostesses crowded around flamboyant guys who were showing off their wealth with their gaudy, expensive watches, wads of cash that were stuffed down women's cleavages, and the long line of empty bottles of alcohol. It was a disgusting and an obnoxious sight to see, and Roman found himself draining the glass of gin to remove the images from his mind.

There was a large dance floor in the center of the place that was jammed pack. Some loud music (could he call loud booming sounds music?) blared through the entire place. Twenty minutes had passed and after going through two glasses of gin, the bored Roman pulled out a cigar. However, he didn't light it. Instead, he twirled it between his fingers as though contemplating whether or not to smoke.

_Where is that guy?_

"Hey, can I trade that cigar for this pack of cigarettes?" Roman turned around irritated when he realized that standing before him was a pale man in a black tux and wearing red shades. An odd combination to see since this restaurant was dimly lit. In the man's gloved hands was an open pack of cigarettes. Curiously, Roman looked into box.

He smiled.

"Not what you would call a fair trade, but I'm in a generous mood," Roman said, handing the thick cigar to the man and taking the box. The man walked off and Roman slipped the packet into his pocket. Finishing his drink, he tossed a couple of one-Lien bills onto the counter, grabbed his cane, flirted with the redheaded hostess for good measure, and headed back outside. Even now, under the awning, there was still a long line of people, eager to enter into the bright lights and glamour.

Slowly feeling the effects of the alcohol, Roman frowned slightly as he looked up at the sky. There was a light drizzle of rain coming down now and he pulled the collar up on his white suit. He should've brought an umbrella with him, but he figured he would have look stupid carrying a full-sized umbrella and a cane. And he was definitely not going to buy a compact one that cheap hipsters these days carry. Not fashionable to hold or use.

Avoiding the crowd, Roman walked in the opposite direction; away from the club. Instead of calling for a taxi, he continued down the dark and wet street. The place was silent except for the occasional late night shoppers hurrying in to the next store to get out of the rain. Pretending to admire a display of plates, Roman took a glance around the area to make sure no one was following him. It was important to be on the lookout, especially at this time of night. Deciding that the black cat on the other side of the street was of no danger, he turned at the street corner and found himself in a long dark, but most importantly, empty alley.

Here, there was no one in sight except the lone street lamp, chain-linked fence, and a couple of trashcans. Double-checking the area, he fished out another cigar from his pocket and this time a silver-colored lighter as well. Placing the lit cigar in his mouth, he pulled out the packet of cigarettes.

Or what appeared to be a packet of cigarettes.

He took one out and unrolled it into a parchment of white paper. The ignited end of his cigar gave enough light for him to read the scrawled handwriting.

It didn't take long to memorize the contents. Roman took the cigar from his mouth and let the flame burn the paper. He watched the white turn into black as the paper shriveled and crumbled, floating and then disintegrating upon contact of the large puddle of rain water. Roman never understood the point for this telephone game, but hey, if his client wanted to add all this secrecy, who was he to judge?

_And now for the payment,_ Roman thought as he reached for the next rolled up paper. Suddenly, the calm patter of rain was shattered with a clacking echo. And sirens.

_Cops? Damnit!_ Placing his back against the wall, Roman immediately tensed as he fumbled with the packet and hid it in his coat. His cane hovered over the ground by a couple of inches. Melodic Cudel was not just any ordinary black cane. This one could be used in combat as a grappling hook, staff, and a rifle. At the foot end, a reticle would be raised for aiming while uncovering the muzzle. Unfortunately, the black cane didn't come with a silencer, so unless he wanted to be heard, Roman prefer not to fire this concealed weapon unless absolutely necessary. As Roman waited, the footsteps and the occasional splash of water got louder and louder. Feeling his heartbeat pounding, Roman could make out a mysterious figure, heading to his location.

Once the shadow was bathed in orange hue from the street lamp, Roman lowered his cane. It was not the police but a woman.

_Strangely dressed one as well. _On such a dark and rainy night, she was decked in nothing but black. Black overblouse, black leggings, and even black gloves. Her black boots continued to give an irritating clacking sound against the pavement that made Roman's head pound. The most curious thing she had on though was the black fedora resting on top of her head.

_A very strange accessory for a woman to wear…_

The woman slowed down to a walking gait. Slowly gasping for air, she glanced behind her as the sirens got louder and louder… and then softer and softer. She breathed a sigh of relief when the noise dissipated. Knowing that she was still not out of danger yet, she tried hard to look inconspicuous and kept her head down. The fedora hat kept her face well hidden in the shadows. Still, Roman found his eyes drawn to the woman, especially the lower half of her torso. Tall, lean, and long waisted. Girl had a nice figure. He wouldn't be surprised if she was a model by day and by night… well, now Roman was curious.

The fedora woman was oblivious to Roman's existence and passed him without so much of a glance. Slighted by this woman's unawareness of him, the slightly drunk Roman decided to read the other parchments later and followed this attractive lady. She was apparently lost in her own thoughts to still be ignorant that a handsome gentleman like him was right behind her. Roman cleared his throat.

"You know, a lady should not walk around in the dark like this." The clacking sounds stopped and the woman turned to the sound of Roman's voice. For the first time, Roman got a good look of her appearance.

She had a pale face, half hidden behind her wheat-colored hair that went down to her waist. Her amber eyes flashed with fear before slowly realizing that this stranger was alone and was dressed too flashy to be an undercover cop.

"What's your name babycakes?" Maybe it was the alcohol, but for some reason, Roman couldn't stop himself from flirting. He found himself strangely drawn to this mysterious woman. And (why not just admit it?) she was smoking hot.

The woman glared for a good long moment before decided that Roman was not worth her while. Her nose twitched from the smell of alcohol from Roman's breath. Ignoring the lame sweet talks, she continued to walk down the road. However, this didn't deter her stalker and instead, amplified his interest in her. With unexpected swiftness, he caught up with her and tapped on her shoulder.

"Hey Fedora Girl, I was only asking a quest-."

"Get away from me," the woman snarled like a ferocious dog. Her amber eyes seemed to flash red in the darkness. For the first time tonight, Roman felt a strange shiver of fear running down his back and took several steps back.

"Whoa, no need for the cold shoulder Miss Fedora. Just want to know why you were in such a hurry," Roman said hastily, hands up in the air. However, by doing so, the Melodic Cudel's end was pointing at her face. Whether it was because of what Roman said or the woman realized that the cane was also a gun, the expression on her face suddenly darkened and without warning, she charged forward, ready to strike.

Out of pure reflex, Roman pulled the trigger on his cane before realizing his horrible mistake. The bullet came roaring out of the end of his cane and toward the woman's face. The bright muzzle flash lightened the alley, and the woman, with remarkable reflex, sidestepped to avoid getting hit.

BOOM! The pavement behind her exploded, scattering debris everywhere, and the noise echoed through the entire alley. She lost her balance and slammed against the ground. Her fedora slipped off her hair and fell into a puddle of water.

For the first time, the woman flinched in fear and grabbed the soaked fedora. But it was too late.

"Wow." Roman's eyes widened and gave an amused grin. He lowered his cane slightly. "It looks like I'm not the only one with secrets underneath my hat."

**A Writer's Comment**

So, what got me writing this… Well it all started when I watched RWBY when it came out. And immediately, after watching the first episode, I found myself fascinated of a certain man named Roman Torchwick. Seeing his antics and personality got me wondering. Who is this guy? What is his goal? And what is up with that ridiculous hairstyle? From there (and after many episodes), the number of questions grew, but they all lead to one main question. What happened in the past that led to the beginnings of RWBY?

And thus, the story was born.

Now of course, we still have quite a few things that are not mentioned in the show (like ages of certain people or names of certain places), so those few things here are based my own interpretation. However, we will see characters we know show up along with new characters.

Thank you for reading and I hope to see you in the next chapter.

**-JapanDreamer**


	2. The Fedora

Hope everybody had a good New Years.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 2:**

Tasha Garou cursed under her breath. Her luck turned from bad to okay to worst in a mere twenty minutes. First, she was chased by human cops and just when she lost them, she went ahead and got her secret exposed to a drunken stranger. And an extremely ridiculous looking one at that. What sort of man would wear eyeliner? And his red hair… Is it natural to have that bright of a color?

"So what animal are you? Standing on all four like that you got to be a fox or dog, right?" The tomato hair man asked as he casually pointed the butt of his cane at the top of her head again. Anger coursed through her body, but she didn't move. With the gun cane still pointed at her, Tasha could only glare at the pair of green eyes. She wondered if he was planning to shoot again. He did seem just as surprise as her when his cane discharged a round, but she wasn't going to take that risk again. She would need to fight and knock him out quickly. Up-close and fast.

Casually and behind her back, she peeled off her glove and raised her hand to her mouth. But before she could do it, the sounds of sirens tore through the silence. Blue and red lights reflected off the brick walls.

"Tch! Cops!" The man said, looking behind him. The noise had made him sober and alert. Taking advantage of the distraction, Tasha sped off into the darkness in the opposite direction. She heard the man shout something at her but ignored it. She was gaining the confidence back and knew she would be able to slip away. The guy won't use his gun cane again now that the cops were here. So, the best thing to do was to escape through the upper level. With acrobatic skills and dexterity, Tasha jumped and climbed up the fire escape ladder. It took her mere seconds to get on the roof. From there and now pumped with adrenaline, she ran as fast and hard as she could.

The night view was gorgeous from up here and normally, Tasha would sit on the rooftop and stargaze. But for now, she concentrated on jumping from rooftop to rooftop. It was a rather exhilarating feeling, and Tasha felt like she was on top of the world. The rush didn't stop even after she arrived at her destination. Landing on the roof, she stopped and peeked over the edge. Unlike the modern and wider streets of Vale, this area was completely deserted and not a working street light in this ten mile radius. Rickety apartments rose and fell here as each new wave of refugees made their ways into this part of town. No one bothered to suggest improving the living condition here. This was the place that the unwanted lived.

The building she was standing on top of was one of the few in the entire distract that actually had working indoor plumbing and heater. The shabby apartment was dark. But then again it was always dark. With grace and dexterity, Tasha lowered herself down. Ignoring the dark windows, she landed in front of apartment number 809.

Home sweet home.

She unlocked the door with a 'click', and stepped inside the drafty hallway. Despite the peeling yellow wallpaper and the mildew smell, the rent here was expensive. This apartment consisted of a basic but tiny kitchen, bathroom, living room, and one bedroom. It was a palace compared to those 9 by 9 prison cells. Feeling hungry, she head to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and wasn't surprise to see it empty. On the other hand, the room wasn't.

"Where have you been?" Tasha cursed under her breath and slammed the fridge shut. She was hoping that he would be asleep. But the chances of that were always slim to none. The guy never slept. At least not when she wanted him to.

"Out," Tasha stated curtly. Ignoring the stare from the living room couch, she took off her soaked fedora and hung it on the coat rack. Seeing it dripping water onto the tile floor, she frowned a bit and decided that she needed to go to dry cleaners tomorrow. Wet from the rain, she shivered from the cool air and quickly grabbed a towel hanging in the bathroom.

"You were _out_ causing trouble." The voice was deep and somber.

"So what?" Tasha didn't deny it as she dried her wheat hair.

"Tasha," the person said in an impatient voice, "you cannot keep doing this. You are a member of-."

"Of an organization with an _incompetent _and_ cowardly_ leader."

"Tasha," the male Faunus repeated again, this time with anger. "If people saw you and learned that you were part of the White Fang, this organization's reputation will go down the drain. All our hard work to gain equality will become undone."

"You think all the other members are perfect little angels, don't you?" Tasha said in a cold voice. "That they turn the other cheek when they are bullied? We fight back. Just like any human or beast on this planet."

"Where are you going with this?"

"Birdy was harassed by humans. They almost torched her shop. SHE could've died." There was a long silence before the male Faunus answered back.

"And that's your excuse for your misdoings?" His question flared Tasha's anger. Why couldn't he see? Why couldn't they all see? Why does he keep defending the humans like they were little children who didn't know any better?

"Better excuse than what those humans had. They had it coming."

"And now, because of your actions, those humans have an excuse to hate Faunus even more."

"I wore the hat," Tasha said in her defense. "They didn't know I'm a Faunus. They didn't even know they got their asses handed to them by a woman." Tasha remembered the successful sweeping kick and disarming moves she performed before she threw those men in the garbage truck.

"And what happens if your hat had fallen off?" Tasha immediately flashed back to the event in the alley and felt her stomach churning.

"Tasha, did something else happen?" Tasha was snapped back into reality and realized her silence was highly suspicious. Feeling irritated, she walked off to her room.

"Tasha, we are not done."

"I am." She made sure she slammed the door hard enough as a warning for him to keep out.

Cursing, she tore off her wet outer garments, threw them on the floor, and changed into a white tank top and gray sweatpants. All the while, the same question was churning through her mind.

_What if that tomato-haired human described her to the cops? But he seemed annoyed and freaked out when he heard the sirens. So maybe he ran away. He looked shady enough. Hopefully, he'll keep his mouth shut in front of the cops if he did decide to stick around. But that mouth of his… urgh… he did love to talk nonstop…_

Needing a distraction, Tasha started to clean up the room. After two weeks of neglect, wrinkled clothes and empty soda cans laid scattered around the small area. She dumped the clothes into the hamper and threw the cans into the trash can. Then, she fluffed the pillows and folded the crumpled blanket onto the mattress that was considered her bed. The only thing she didn't need to clean was her desk that was neatly organized with a stack of flyers, a pile of important documents, and pens.

Finally done, Tasha wrapped the thin blanket around her arms, sat down in front of the window, and stared out. The clouds were dissipating and revealing a shining orb hanging in the night sky. Her damp long hair cloaked her bare shoulders and her breath fogged up the window. Tasha sighed softly, feeling all the anger slowly leaving her body. The night sky looked the best after a rainy day. Even in darkness, there were always tiny lights of hope, glittering across the sky. She noticed her reflection on the glass pane and saw nothing but sadness in her eyes now.

_Wolf…_ If Tasha had to answer that tomato hair human's question, it would've been wolf. The ears on her head were the same color as her hair except for the black tips. The feature that she wanted to be most proud of was the feature that has been a subject of ridicule and shame by the rest of the human world. Feeling depressed now, she curled up and leaned against the window. She felt a sense of weariness now and felt her eyes getting heavier and heavier. Soon, she was asleep.

**Author's Notes**

Meet Tasha Garou, the first Faunus introduced in this story. We can see that she has dealt with discrimination with humans and is rather bitter towards them. Now the question is what is the current situation with humans and Faunus at this time? We'll see in the next chapter. XP

Currently, we're only scratching the surface of what is yet to come. All the players are not here yet. Some are familiar faces we've met before while others are new.

To those who enjoy this story, I hope to see you in future chapters. I would also love some feedback on this story, especially in terms of grammar or story flow. It will help me as a writer.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter.

**-JapanDreamer**


	3. The Lion, the Wizard and the Clock Tower

This chapter is dedicated to Monty Oum – for his inspirations and providing the spark for this story.

**Chapter 3:**

Sitting in his quiet and dark office, Ozpin listened to the splatter of raindrops against the window. It hasn't let up for the past few days. Maybe they should have rescheduled this meeting. But if he did that, it would've been extremely rude. After all, he was the one who insisted on this meeting.

_He's running late. Though that should be expected. He always hated the rain. And thunder. If only those were the only thing that kept him away from here all this time._ _How long has it been since they last met? Seven… no ten… definitely ten years. Wow… Has it really been that long since they last talked?_

Getting up and walking towards the window, Ozpin stared out into the darkness of Vale. There was a greenish tinge in the window pane from the beacon light of the tower. Reflected back at him was a tall man whose ruffled gray hair still had streaks of black. He wore formal attire – a black suit, a black vest, and a green undershirt. An olive green scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. Green tinted spectacles rested on his nose bridge but were unable to hide his weary brown eyes.

Ozpin could scarcely recognize the man before him. Where was that exuberant youth he saw in the mirror years ago? The one that had big dreams and was ready to take on the world?

Located high above the city, Ozpin's office was in the important Beacon tower. The landmark served as a lighthouse, casting a green glow high above the clouds. The metal gears that decorated the ceiling created another dull 'thunk' sound as they meshed with each other. It was a lulling sound, reminding Ozpin that one could still find order in a disordered world.

Ten minutes later, a sharp beep resonated in the room. Ozpin quickly looked down at the computer screen before turning expectedly towards the door. "Come in."

The metal doors slid open and in stepped a hooded person even taller than the six and half feet tall Ozpin. Droplets of water slid and splattered against the pristine marble floor. The person growled in frustration that sounded like an angry snarl. However, Ozpin merely smiled, unafraid.

"Leo," Ozpin said warmly, walking up to his guest. "I'm so glad you could come."

The man Leo jerked his head up as if just realizing Ozpin was standing there. The wet hood was pushed back to reveal a heavyset man with long black hair and a matching beard that covered his neck. In between the beard was a ferocious set of canine teeth that looked ready to tear something apart. The visitor was fearsome looking, but hidden underneath that thick tangle of dark hair was a pair of terrified eyes. Always glancing around for the nearest escape route.

"Professor Ozpin," Leo said slowly. His voice rumbled like the thunder outside. "It has been a while. Or should I call you Headmaster now?" Hesitating slightly, Leo held out his hand. No, not a hand. A paw. An enormous paw with claws sharp enough to rip out a man's throat.

"Please, Ozpin is just fine. I've been a teacher here longer than the headmaster. And I've known you longer than that." He extended his hand out as well without hesitation. Leo's paw engulfed his hand, but his shake was firm and gentle. Ozpin then pointed to the teapot on the table.

"Coffee?" Leo nodded but remained rooted in place, watching Ozpin turned his back and hummed softly as he poured into a large white mug. Steam rose into the air, and the thick aroma filled the room. "Here you are."

"You haven't changed a bit," Leo said as he sniffed the coffee with trepidation, "Black, no sugar."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Ozpin said, pouring a cup for himself. He pointed to the chair before him. "Please sit." After removing his cloak, Leo sat comfortably down and looked pleasantly surprised. Normally, Leo could never chairs to accommodate his girth and preferred to stand or even sit on the ground. He wondered if Ozpin went out of his way to find a chair that would accommodate his size.

"You've gotten taller," Ozpin remarked lightly as he eased himself into his swivel chair. The table before them was designed like the ceiling – countless of gears turning underneath a large glass top.

"And still growing," Leo admitted though he sounded less enthusiastic. Feeling a need to keep the topic going, he added, "You grew quite a bit yourself since graduation."

"Well, I think it is a good thing. Can't expect to show authority if you're shorter than your own students." Ozpin's tone suggested that he was clearly trying to lighten the dismal mood.

"You sound happy. How are things here?"

Ozpin didn't respond until he finished taking a sip from his mug of coffee and looked at Leo straight in the eye. "The school board has finally agreed," Ozpin said. "Faunus will be able to attend any combat schools under the same requirements. No discrimination.

"I wanted to give you the good news personally, but also provide the necessary documents of proof for you." There was a long silence as Leo slowly processed this information.

"Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me," Ozpin said, humbly, about to take another sip of coffee, "I would've done this even if you didn't ask."

"I'm thanking you as a friend." Ozpin's hand froze in realization of the implications of those words. He looked up and saw Leo adamantly staring at the ground. The sight was rather nostalgic in its own way.

"I'm honored then." Ozpin smiled warmly. An awkward silence filled the room before Ozpin decided to continue.

"With the new students coming here, I'm sure that the school will be very busy for years to come. We need to train the young minds and show them a world where we can all stand on equal grounds."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to help you in that way." The light mood immediately evaporated.

"What do you mean?" Ozpin asked sharply. He immediately placed his mug on the table. Flinching slightly, Leo sighed.

"I'm steeping down from my position." There was a sudden silence except for the meshing sounds of gears from above.

"You can't be serious."

Terrified to speak, Leo continued to remain silent and winced slightly from the sharp tone of Ozpin's voice. For the first time tonight, Ozpin looked angry. Out of Leo's three former team members back in the days, Ozpin was definitely the calmest one in any given situation, but if somehow angered, he was the most dangerous.

"Are you running away again," Ozpin said coldly. He suddenly flashed back to their school days. No matter how hard he had worked, Leo would just give up in the end when it matter the most. Ozpin always found Leo hiding under the bed right before their missions. "You cannot abandon those Faunus without thinking of the consequences. You do not have that luxury anymore. You're not a kid anymore."

"I'm telling you this not because I've given up," Leo said sharply, startling Ozpin, "I'm telling you this because there is a looming threat. If I am to remain the face of the White Fang leader…" Leo fell silent for a moment before continuing.

"I'm not stepping down just yet. I still have some things to do. I just… need time…" Leo clutched his coffee cup tightly. He was still refusing to look at Ozpin in the eye.

"And what about the future of the White Fang?" Ozpin asked tentatively.

"It is better you don't know."

"Leo, we are friends. You just said so yourself."

"And as a friend, I'm begging you to not ask. If the White Fang members knew I was talking to you…" Leo fell silent again, realizing he said too much, and Ozpin frowned. He grabbed his cup and slowly took a sip.

"I've… heard rumors about the recent activities…. Is it that bad?"

"Not yet."

The taste of coffee in Ozpin's mouth became sour.

"I have not shown any progress ever since I started this organization. Don't deny it -" Leo added, noticing Ozpin opening his mouth in protest – "Discrimination cannot be erased overnight. Faunus are being brutally treated to this very day. They want it to stop. And they want it to stop now.

"As much as I wish it, I cannot give them that," Leo continued after reflecting bitterly of the past, "They are so focus on the 'now' that they forget about the 'future'. And unfortunately, I'm the one they blame. Their rage… It's frightening… Sometimes, I wish I could run away." Leo closed his eyes, feeling the waves of fury wash over him, drowning him in sorrow. He tried hard to hold back the tears that welled up in his eyes.

"In a way, Ozpin, you're right. I haven't changed. I am-" Leo laughed bitterly, "still that cowardly lion that would tremble under my bed before every mission."

Ozpin fell silent. He had asked for this meeting in hopes of bringing good news, yet that all seemed to pale and became nonexistent after Leo foreshadowed the looming dangers.

"If you're not giving up, then what is your plan?"

"I have already have chosen a successor. Someone younger… and perhaps more assertive than I am."

"You have a lot of confidence in him."

"Her," Leo corrected, "However, her life, like all of her peers, had been ruled by fear. She can be… frustrated at times. I need to train her well to make sure she won't stray off the wrong path when the time comes. But if I can't…" Leo paused ever so slight and quickly tried to cover it, "I want you to guide her. Help her."

Ozpin stared at Leo with disbelief. Did Leo say what he thought he said?

"Leo," he started slowly and carefully, "I believe what the White Fang stands for. You know that. But you cannot expect the Faunus community to accept me, especially in times like these. And this successor you have chosen… it is not a guarantee she will accept my help or want it."

"And yet, I know you will be there for her regardless. You do tend to stick your nose into matters no matter what." Ozpin scoffed in disbelief at the statement, but Leo knew the truth.

"Ozpin, we've haven't seen each other for more than ten years. And yes, I am to blame for that. Nevertheless, all the years before that, I've been blessed with a good friend. If there is anyone I can trust, it is you."

There was a soft rumbling of thunder from outside, and Ozpin stared hard into Leo's brown eyes, scanning for traces of the friend who lived in fear for his life every day. There was still that apprehensive look, but tonight, Ozpin saw something else.

"You are not."

"What?"

"The same cowardly Leo you were ten years ago. You are a leader with a visionary goal for the future of Faunus."

Leo gave a sad smile. "And unfortunately, that is not what they want."

**Author's Notes**

The news about Monty Oum… I'm going to admit, it hit me pretty hard. I know there are many fanfic writers on this site who has paid their respects in their stories, and I'm moved that the community has taken the time to do so. So thank you. And thank you Monty Oum.

Chapter updates are still sporadic, but they'll come sooner or later.

Thank you all for reading. I'll see you in the next chapter.

**-JapanDreamer**


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